what is spyware?

Answer 1

the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party.

In simpler terms, spyware is a type of program that watches after what users do with their computer and then send this information to a hacker over the internet. Spyware can collect many different types of information about a user. More benign programs can attempt to track what types of websites a user visits and send this information to an advertisement agency. More malicious version can try to record what a user types to try to intercept passwords or credit card numbers. Yet other versions simply launch popups with advertisements.

Spyware differs from viruses and worms in that it does not usually self-replicate. Like many recent viruses, however, spyware – by design – exploits infected computers for commercial gain. Typical tactics furthering this goal include delivery of unsolicited pop-up advertisements; theft of personal information (including financial information such as credit card numbers); monitoring of Web-browsing activity for marketing purposes; or routing of HTTP requests to advertising sites.

As of 2005, spyware has become one of the pre-eminent security threats to computer-systems running Microsoft Windows operating-systems (and especially to users of Internet Explorer because of that browser's collaboration with the Windows operating system). Some malware on the Linux and Mac OS X platforms has behavior similar to Windows spyware, but to date has not become anywhere near as widespread due to their comparatively smaller user base; because Microsoft products are the most prevalent on the market currently, it is more productive for hackers to write spyware to target these products, and not Linux or Mac OS.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Spyware will crash your pc, ruin your internet connection and make your internet surfing unsafe.

you usually get infected because your security settings are too low.

Here are a number of recommendations that will help tighten them, and which will contribute to making you a less likely victim:

1) Watch what you download!
Many freeware programs, and P2P programs like Grokster, Imesh, Kazaa and others are amongst the most notorious, come with an enormous amount of bundled spyware that will eat system resources, slow down your system, clash with other installed software, or just plain crash your browser or even Windows itself.

2) Go to IE > Tools > Windows Update > Product Updates, and install ALL Security Updates listed.
It's important to always keep current with the latest security fixes from Microsoft.
Install those patches for Internet Explorer, and make sure your installation of Java VM is up-to-date. There are some well known security bugs with Microsoft Java VM which are exploited regularly by browser hijackers.

3) Go to Internet Options/Security/Internet, press 'default level', then OK.

Now press "Custom Level."

In the ActiveX section, set the first two options ("Download signed and unsigned ActiveX controls) to 'prompt', and 'Initialize and Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe" to 'disable'.

Now you will be asked whether you want ActiveX objects to be executed and whether you want software to be installed.
Sites that you know for sure are above suspicion can be moved to the Trusted Zone in Internet Option/security.

So why is activex so dangerous that you have to increase the security for it?
When your browser runs an activex control, it is running an executable program. It's no different from doubleclicking an exe file on your hard drive.
Would you run just any random file downloaded off a web site without knowing what it is and what it does?

And some more advice:

4) Install Javacool's SpywareBlaster

It will protect you from all spy/foistware in it's database by blocking installation of their ActiveX objects.

Download and install, download the latest updates, and you'll see a list of all spyware programs covered by the program (NOTE: this is NOT spyware found on your computer)
Press "select all", then "kill all checked", and you're done.
The spyware that you told Spywareblaster to set the "kill bit" for won't be a hazard to you any longer.
Although it won't protect you from every form of spyware known to man, it is a very potent extra layer of protection.
Don't forget to check for updates every week or so.

There's a board at Wilderssecurity as well.

Let's also not forget that SpyBot Search and Destroy has the Immunize feature which works roughly the same way.

It can't hurt to use both.

5) Another brilliant program by Javacool we recommend is SpywareGuard.
It provides a degree of real-time protection solution against spyware that is a great addition to SpywareBlaster's protection method.

An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and prevents execution if a virus is detected - SpywareGuard does the same thing, but for spyware! And you can easily have an anti-virus program running alongside SpywareGuard.
It now also features Download Protection and Browser Hijacking Protection!

6) IE-SPYAD puts over 5000 sites in your restricted zone, so you'll be protected when you visit innocent-looking sites that aren't actually innocent at all.
http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm#IESPYAD


And another site with an enormous amount of information on computer security, and which is well worth a visit is http://www.wilders.org/

Finally, after following up on all these recommendations, why not run Jason Levine's Browser Security Tests.
They will provide you with an insight on how vulnerable you might still be to a number of common exploits.

Answer 4

In the field of computing, the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party.

In simpler terms, spyware is a type of program that watches after what users do with their computer and then send this information to a hacker over the internet. Spyware can collect many different types of information about a user. More benign programs can attempt to track what types of websites a user visits and send this information to an advertisement agency. More malicious version can try to record what a user types to try to intercept passwords or credit card numbers. Yet other versions simply launch popups with advertisements.

Spyware installs itself onto a user's computer by stealth, subterfuge and/or social engineering and sends information from that computer to a third party without the user's permission or knowledge. Spyware includes keyloggers, backdoor Trojans, password stealers, and botnet worms, which cause corporate data theft, financial loss and network damage. Protection from spyware is an integral feature of our integrated security solutions, and is detected in the same way as viruses, Trojans and worms.

Answer 5

Some weeks ago I had a problem with my computer, it was slowing down and i couldn't explain why some websites where redirecting! Since I had a good (norton) antivirus system I did not think that I had spyware! , however a friend of mine came to my house and immediately told me that I had a spyware program, he entered into a site downloaded one of the free programs featured there and installed it on my computer, after running this program my computer is fast and downloading normally, whilst my homepage was also restored.

the webpage where you can find free reliable anti spyware is:

http://charticles.atspace.com/spyware.htm

Answer 6

Jenny, the point of ANSWERS is to give an ANSWER ... if you don't know, don't answer ... maybe you should be in the What did Britney Spears eat for breakfast section :-)

AS FOR THE ANSWER: Spyware is software that plants a seed in your computer. This seed gives off a "signal" to the person or persons who sent it to you and they use this "signal" to break into your computer and do stuff. One of the things they usually do is register your keystrokes, which means that if spyware is running on your computer when you log into your bank account, they can get your username and password.

Toodles

Answer 7

Sorry, Jesse, you would be wrong.

The term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party.

You can protect yourself from this stuff by downloading a free program like AdAware from download.com or buying a comprehensive program like MacAfree Security Suite which protects you from virii & spyware and also has a Firewall program. I use it and it's excellent.

Answer 8

Hey listen baby, spyware is a software that if you download by mistake takes the information,codes and various files information from your computer and send to the company who has designed it and making ur computer unsecure and unprotected.Dont download any program which has spyware.

Answer 9

Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.

Answer 10

In the field of computing, the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party.